I feel so lonely at times: Dev

Dev credits his humility to his upbringing. Selfish to the core when it comes to work, Tollywood���������s reigning star, who turns 27 today, confesses that he is ���������just an ordinary guy��������� who has been packaged and presented well before the audience.
Do birthdays make you feel old?
It makes me feel far more responsible.
How many candles will you blow out?
One!
As opposed to Bollywood, Tollywood���������s leading men still fight shy of disclosing their age...
I don���������t fight shy of disclosing my age. It���������s just that it will take a lot of time to blow out 27 candles. By then, the cake will start melting.
What is Subhashree giving you on this day?
Why Subhashree, in particular? I have so many friends.
Isn���������t Subhashree a special friend?
Subhashree is a good friend. Period.
That���������s being politically correct. At all award functions she is always sitting next to you or cheering you on when you are performing...
Don���������t you all cheer for your friends when they do good work? What���������s the big deal?
You are flaunting a new ring on your finger these days...
(Laughs) That has been gifted by my mother.
Birthdays are always associated with sweet memories. Are you apprehensive about the fate of ���������Se Din Dekha Hoye Chilo��������� which has released a day before your birthday?
Of course, I���������m tense. The film has been promoted keeping my birthday in mind. But the Friday jitters are over as the initial collections of ���������SDDH��������� are excellent. Hope the film does a good business at the box-office and that would be my birthday gift.
After one-and-a-half years, you are playing a romantic hero in ���������Se Din...��������� But your action avatar is etched strongly in the audience���������s mind...
I have the age to play an action hero, but now is the time for me to essay a romantic hero.
Your look in ���������SDDH��������� is quite fresh...
I always experiment with my looks. This time too, it was a conscious effort by Sujitda (Sujit Mondol) to make me look different.
Is it after you saw Jeet flaunting his eight pack abs that you are also losing weight?
(Laughs) I saw Jeetda���������s picture with his eight pack. He looks superb! But I am not following anyone. In fact, Sujitda has asked me to shed weight for his next film.
Is it to match Subhashree���������s size zero figure in the next film that you are slogging it out?
(Laughs) Maybe.
Happy to be paired opposite Subhashree?
I am happy that she is working after one-and-a-half years. And truly speaking, I am not bothered who is cast opposite me in my films. I am very selfish when it comes to work.
So, is Dev self-obsessed? Do you try to overshadow others?
Not at all. While I work, I only keep in my mind that I have to excel. It���������s my responsibility to keep the audience happy and make sure the producers get their money back. And overshadow who since all my co-actors are super talented. I am the weakest link.
What happened to the film which stars you, Prosenjit, Subhashree in the lead? Wasn���������t it supposed to go on floors from December?
Due to date problems, it has been postponed. It will start after Sujit Mondol���������s film.
Since you have not tasted failure, are you over confident?
My confidence level is zero. I work hard, as I know I am very ordinary. When I work for a film, I forget what���������s happening around. It���������s too early to predict that I have not tasted failure. It���������s been a fledgling four years in the industry. By the way, I know what failure is. I remember ���������Agnisapath���������; how it tanked at the BO and how I was without work for years.
The idea is if Dev is there, the film will be a hit. Isn���������t that an add-on pressure?
It is tremendous pressure! Bhoi laage majhe majhe! Mone hoi parbo toh? To reach a level is tough, to hang in there, even tougher.
It is also being said that Dev hogs the limelight and takes away the credit from his directors, cinematographers...
I am a director���������s actor and I always believe in teamwork. I���������m just an ordinary guy who is always presented and packaged well in front of the audience. Rather, all credit goes to the directors, dance director, cinematographer and producers for making me what I am today. Just the other day, we went for dinner to a dhaba where a guy came up and told Baba Yadav that I dance well to his moves. How am I hogging all the lime light?
Is this cultivated humility a sign that you are fast climbing the ladder of success?
(Laughs) Is there anyone in Tollywood who can say that Dev is rude? It���������s just my upbringing.
But people say that from a simple guy, Dev has now acquired starry airs...
(Laughs) Well, people do misunderstand me now, as I am very bad at taking calls. Most of the time, my phone is on silent mode. I���������m either in a meeting, rehearsing or shooting. And people think that I avoid their calls. I feel so lonely at times. Those who were friends once now think that I have become swollen headed and too damn big. They maintain a distance.
Word has it that Jeet and you had a tiff post- ���������Dui Prithibi���������. Did you feel bad that some critics praised Jeet more for his performance?
I don���������t have any spats with anyone in this industry. Jeetda is my senior and I respect him. And I too feel that ���������DP��������� was Jeetda���������s film. He gave a mindblowing performance in that film.
What do you think about Ankush in ���������Kellafate���������? People are saying that proper grooming will make him the next Dev...
I saw him in the promos. Ankush is brilliant. Superb dancer, excellent screen presence. I can���������t be his benchmark; he is better than me.
Weren���������t you supposed to be part of Aniruddha Roy Choudhury���������s film?
Tonyda says, he will cast me, but he doesn���������t.
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